Chicago Bears first round big board, spoiler: no QBs
By Peter Jurich
Chicago Bears Draft Board: 2) Will Anderson Jr, EDGE – Alabama
Considered by many to be the best defensive player in this year’s draft, Will Anderson Jr is an aggressive edge rusher who is relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback. At 6’4″ and 245 lbs, Anderson has the length and quickness to get around the edge of the offensive line and pressure the quarterback. For someone who might be a little on the lighter side in terms of NFL edge rushers, Anderson has surprising strength when engaged with offensive tackles, and can convert speed to power pretty seamlessly.
Anderson is certainly one of the premier prospects in this draft, but there is some question of fit in a defense like Chicago’s. A hair on the smaller side, Anderson is more of a 3-4 outside linebacker rather than a 4-3 defensive end. While he could certainly excel as a true end, it may be necessary to pair him with a larger, more traditional base end, which would allow Anderson to focus more as a pass rusher and less as the edge setter against the outside zone run schemes. Easily a top 5 player in this class, Anderson could be drafted as high as the top 3 selections in this year’s draft.
NFL Comp: Micah Parsons
Chicago Bears Draft Board: 3) Myles Murphy, EDGE – Clemson
Not getting quite the same praise as Carter or Anderson, Myles Murphy is the latest (but not the only) athletic freak from Clemson’s defense to enter the NFL Draft. Listed at 6’5″ and 275 lbs, Murphy has the traditional build of a dominant 4-3 defensive end who can disrupt the pass and run games. For someone as big as he is, Murphy is an incredibly fluid and smooth pass rusher, and is relentless on the edge, moving to second and sometimes even third pass rush moves in order to beat his blocker.
Murphy is a relatively complete prospect, and only has a few notable flaws, mostly against offensive line movement in power/counter run schemes, but overall, there is a clear mastery in how to use his unique size and athleticism to his advantage against outmatched offensive tackles. Murphy could easily end up as a top 5 pick this year, but depending on how many quarterbacks are taken at the top of the draft, he could even be available at the seventh or eighth pick.
NFL Comp: Carlos Dunlap